Dental hygiene

Vital to your oral health is good dental hygiene. And although there are many things you can do at home to achieve this, a regular appointment with our dental hygienist will keep your mouth in tip top condition, and give you a sparkling clean smile.

BEN “I like people to feel comfortable in my surgery - I don’t ever want you to feel self-conscious. There are solutions to just about everything, so don’t ever feel embarrassed to discuss any aspect of your teeth. If you hide your smile or feel like the colour of your teeth is a problem, just tell me. That’s what I’m here for.I’ll help you find a solution to whatever it is that bothers you about your teeth.”

What happens during a dental hygiene appointment?

Well, when was the last time that you were shown the right way to brush your teeth? Probably a while ago, right? Perhaps as long ago as when you were in junior school? Or maybe you’ve never been shown how to brush your teeth by a dental professional?

An appointment with one of our hygienists is the perfect chance to tune up your morning and evening brushing routines.

BEN “I saw a lady who had been going to the same hygienist for 20 years and always felt too embarrassed to ask how to brush her teeth properly. She finally came to me and I showed her what to do, and talked her through all the things she needed to know, like how to use her toothbrush properly.She just thought that she ‘should’ know, so she’d never asked. We’ll never judge, we’ll just help.”

One of our hygienists will start by talking to you about your current
teeth cleaning and oral care routine, and will suggest ways in which you
can make your regime more effective. This will include things like how
to make sure you brush all the surfaces of every tooth, and inter-dental cleaning (which can sometimes be overlooked). As Ben says “My job is primarily to educate, so I go over brushing, interdental
cleaning, and how to keep the mouth clean and healthy. I think that if
you’re doing that well, you should have very few problems. Prevention
is better than cure.”

Dental products advice

It's an important part of the role of our hygienists to keep up to date with all the latest products, so they'll also talk to you about which might be best for you to try out at home.And they will also demonstrate good techniques for using the products effectively so that you can easily continue with the best of care at home.

BEN “Mouthwashes grate on me. A lot of people use mouthwashes straight after they brush, so they’re just rinsing all the fluoride from the toothpaste down the sink. And they’re replacing it with something that doesn’t have very much fluoride in it at all. So just brush well, with a good toothpaste.”

The dental hygiene examination

The hygienists work alongside the dentists, who are responsible for checking your teeth. But should you wish to attend for a hygiene examination only, the hygienist will check your teeth and gums and, if necessary, will refer you to a dentist for teeth problems or to our specialist periodontist Richard Snoad for gum issues.

Our dental hygienists are all fully qualified dental therapists, and so
can also provide services such as fillings, take impressions and perform
cosmetic whitening treatments in addition to the full range of hygiene
procedures.

They will then remove hard and soft plaque deposits on your teeth using an ultrasonic scaler
which is a much more comfortable way of cleaning your teeth than the
traditional manual method and gets rid of hard deposits quickly and
easily. This method of scaling will also help to sweep away some
staining and so your teeth will both look and feel cleaner in just one
visit.

The final part of your appointment will be a chance to talk about how often you should be having hygiene check-ups. The hygienist will be able to advise you on this based on your own circumstances and requirements.

Airflow

Airflow treatment is the next level of teeth cleaning. Using a powerful jet of water, air and sodium bicarbonate, your teeth will be cleaned like never before. It’s a super effective way to instantly remove stubborn stains and produce a noticeably whiter smile, and can be added onto your 30 minute hygiene appointment.